Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
What’s the plan?



Define veterinary forensics
The Link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence
What are the categories of animal abuse?
 Physical abuse
 Blunt Force Trauma
 Sharp Force Trauma
 Gunshot wounds
 Poisoning
 Asphyxiation and drowning
 Burns
 Munchausen syndrome by proxy
What’s the plan?
 Sexual Abuse
 Neglect and abandonment
 Hoarding
 Organized fighting
 Ritualistic abuse



Red flags
Chain of Custody
Working together
 Law enforcement
 Prosecutors
 Veterinarians
 Other Professionals
What is forensics?


Forensics: the application of scientific principles to questions of law
Many different sciences are utilized, for example:
 bloodstain pattern analysis
 ballistics analysis
 tool-mark analysis
 computer forensics
1
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
forensic entomology
forensic meteorology
Veterinary Forensics

The application of veterinary medicine to answer legal questions
May include:
 Investigation and documentation of animal abuse
 Necropsy to determine cause of death, whether or not abuse is suspected
 Documentation regarding the health or temperament of a pet
 Health certificate
 Pre-purchase exam
 Investigating an attack on a human by a wild animal
 Investigating an attack on a wild animal by a human
Why does animal abuse matter?



Society wants animal abuse to be taken seriously
 the basic laws are there
 animal abuse may predict other crimes
Crimes against animals may also involve other criminal activity
 e.g. organized fighting, drugs, guns
The Link – the connection between animal abuse and interpersonal violence
Duluth Power Wheel
Why report? The Link: Spot Abuse PSA
What does a forensics veterinarian do?




Always, first and foremost, take care of the animal.
Aid law enforcement in identifying aspects of a scene that may be evidence of abuse.
Examine the animal, dead or alive, and document the case.
Testify in court, as needed.
On scene


Triage the animals
 may be multiple species involved
 need to rapidly divide animals into those that are critical and those that can wait
 often will do an on-scene brief exam and a more in-depth exam at the shelter
Document
 Photos
 Videos
2
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015

Identifying evidence:
 anything that proves or
disproves a fact
Identifying evidence


Situational evidence: weather, temperature, ammonia levels
Physical evidence
 Could be materials at the scene





animal drugs, controlled or not
human drugs being used in animals
materials used in organized fighting
bones
identifying how the environment affects the animals
 The live animal
 Wounds or injuries
 Signs of illness or neglect
 Identifying the need for further diagnostics
 The deceased animal
 Identifying species
 Necropsy
 Cause of death: the events that lead to the death of the animal
 Manner of death
 natural
 accidental
 non-accidental
 unknown
What is animal abuse?
Animal abuse is a legal definition defined in California by Penal Code 597. It
includes malicious and intentional harm to an animal as well as a failure to provide
proper food, drink, and shelter for an animal or cause needless suffering.
Animal abuse is painful


On a continuum
comfort -> discomfort -> distress -> pain
Suffering
Pain: the conscious perception of a noxious stimulus
 the stimulus is something that activates the neuroreceptor and transmits the
information to the brain
3
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
pain can vary in duration, intensity, and character (e.g. throbbing, sharp, stinging)
pain may come from a variety of locations within the body
Pain scoring systems


Colorado State University pain score systems
Mouse grimace scale
(partial photo of the scale)
Langford, et al. 2010

Horse grimace scale
(partial photo of the scale)
Dalla Costa, et al, 2014
Types of animal abuse






Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Emotional abuse
Neglect and Abandonment
Organized Fighting
Ritualistic abuse
Types of Animal Abuse: Physical Abuse
Non-accidental injury NAI







Blunt force trauma
Sharp force trauma
Gunshot wounds
Poisoning
Asphyxiation and drowning
Burns
Munchausen syndrome by proxy
Blunt Force Trauma


Use of a blunt object to inflict injury
 examples: kicking, hitting, or beating with an object
May include
 contusions (a.k.a. bruises)
 may occur at points away from the point of contact
4
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.



Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
harder to see on animals due to thickness of the epidermis, hair protecting the
skin, and pigmentation
may be more evident on the underside of the skin
may take time to become evident (e.g. pulmonary contusions) therefore may
need to look more than once (e.g. repeat x-rays)
Blunt Force Trauma cont’d
 abrasions
 occur at the point of contact
 may be patterned
 postmortem insect feeding may mimic antemortem abrasions
 lacerations
 occur over hard surfaces like bone
 in general, a narrow object will cause a long laceration, a flat object will cause
a Y-shaped or irregular laceration
Laceration
Incision
irregular margin
defined margin
often has bruising
minimal-to-no bruising
bridging of tissues
cleanly divided
frequently has debris
rarely has debris
slight hemorrhage
brisk hemorrhage
 fractures
 occur according to forces applied
 force = mass x acceleration
Fractures cont’d
 Skull fractures
 When two or more skull fractures intersect, the fracture lines from the second
injury will stop when it hits a fracture line from the first injury
 similar to gunshot fracture lines
Fracture lines
Viel, Guido, Axel Gehl, and Jan P. Sperhake. "Intersecting Fractures of the Skull and
Gunshot Wounds. Case Report and Literature Review." Forensic Science, Medicine, and
Pathology 5.1 (2009): 22-27.
Fractures cont’d

Rib fractures
 ribs are fairly pliable and difficult to fracture, especially in puppies and kittens
 common finding in abuse cases of dogs and cats
5
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015




uncommon finding in HBC
often occur in a group (e.g. two or more adjacent ribs)
rib fractures on both sides of the body indicate two different applications of force
fractures on both sides or fractures in different states of healing are most likely
due to abuse
Fractures cont’d

Rib fractures cont’d
 Study on cats (Adams, Christine, Elizabeth M. Streeter, Ryan King, and Elizabeth
Rozanski. "Retrospective Study: Cause and Clinical Characteristics of Rib
Fractures in Cats: 33 Cases (2000-2009)." Journal of Veterinary Emergency and
Critical Care 20.4 (2010): 436-40.)
 study of 33 cats with rib fractures
 none of the cats were believed to have rib fractures due to abuse
 younger cats (median age 3 yr.) tended to have traumatic rib fractures due to
HBC
 older cats (median age 13 yr.) tended to have non-traumatic rib fractures,
believed to be secondary to disease (respiratory, cardiac, renal disease, and
neoplasia)
 tended to be in the caudally (88% in ribs 9-13)
Sharp Force Trauma
 Use of a pointed or sharp-edged object to inflict injury
 Includes
 Stab wounds
 Incised wounds
 Chop wounds
 Can have characteristics of more than one
Sharp Force Trauma cont’d

The shape and size of the wound will depend on multiple factors:
 the size and shape of the instrument
 sharpness of the instrument
 movement of the blade within the wound or of the animal
 the angle of the thrust
 tension (or not) of the skin
 tension lines of the skin
 whether or not the instrument is inserted to its full length
Sharp Force Trauma cont’d
 Points to remember
6
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015

Without a piece of the instrument being left behind in the animal, one can only
say if it an instrument could or could not have caused the injuries seen
 One slash with a blade may cause multiple wounds if the skin is wrinkled
 A dull blade may cause a wound more consistent with crushing or abrasion than
incising
 Postmortem stab wounds are usually yellowish to tan due to a lack of circulation
(may also happen with perimortem wounds if low blood pressure)
Gunshot


Each gun will leave characteristic marks on the bullet as it travels through the barrel.
 Therefore, when collecting ballistic evidence, do not use metal tools. Use gloved
hands or plastic or rubber-tipped forceps for collection.
The wound created by the bullet will depend on
 the location on the body which is hit
 the velocity of the bullet
 the angle at which the bullet hit
 the characteristics of the bullet
 the distance from the gun to the target
Gunshot cont’d

Entrance wounds: usually are surrounded by a red or reddish-brown area of abraded
skin
 this is regardless of the distance between the gun and the target
 this is due to the scraping of the skin as the bullet enters
 hair may be pulled into the entrance wound
 when opposing the edges, there is usually a center of missing skin where the
bullet punched through
Gunshot wounds cont’d

Exit wounds
 usually are more irregular and larger than entrance wounds and lack any abrasion
at the margins
 when the edges of the wound are opposed, they usually come together completely
 exception to the rule: a shored exit wound
 when the exit wound is supported by a firm surface such as a wall, there may
be abrasion of the exit-wound skin against that surface
Asphyxiation and Drowning


Asphyxia: lack of oxygen
Very difficult to diagnose
7
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
signs that may be consistent with asphyxiation
 cyanosis
 visceral congestion
 petechiae
 fluidity of the blood
In animals that are hung, the fur may protect against ligature marks on the neck
Asphyxia and Drowning cont’d




Point to remember: not all bodies pulled from the water were drowned
No pathognomonic signs of drowning
Usually a diagnosis of exclusion
At necropsy, may find
 completely wet body
Photo: en.wikipedia.org
 edema and emphysema of the lungs
 water, mud, plant material in the stomach if swallowed water
 white or hemorrhagic froth in the mouth, nostrils, and trachea
Poisoning



More often than not, this is not malicious
When intentional, perpetrators often choose pesticides and insecticides that are easily
available and known to be highly toxic
Generally need to know what toxin you are looking for when submitting samples
(there is no “tox screen” available)

When submitting samples:
 antemortem: blood, urine, vomit/gastric contents, feces, hair
 postmortem: liver, kidney, fat, brain, lung, bile
Burns


Biggest question to consider: does the story fit the pattern of burn?
Different categories of burns
 flame: direct contact with a flame
 contact: direct contact with a hot object
 radiant: contact with heat waves
 chemical: produced by a strong acid or alkaline agent
 scalding: contact with a hot liquid
 accidental contact tends to be irregular and have a short contact time
 forced immersion burns have lines of demarcation
 splash or spill burns: may be difficult to determine accident from intentional,
8
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
tend to look alike
microwave: being placed in a microwave
May not be possible to determine antemortem vs. postmortem burns
 If alive at time of a fire, expect inhaled soot in respiratory system
Maunchausen syndrome by proxy
 Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness and a form of child abuse. The
caretaker of a child, usually a mother, either makes up fake symptoms or causes real
symptoms to make it look like the child is sick. (NIH,
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus)
 An animal may serve as the proxy.




Clinical signs can be almost anything
 May not correlate with the history
 Disease course may be convoluted and atypical
Possible red flags: an owner who is not reassured by normal test results or who does
not appear anxious in the face of a pet who is critical
Difficult to diagnose
If suspected, try separating the animal from the owner to see if the clinical signs clear,
and then return when back with the owner.
 realize this may be due to an environmental issue, e.g. carbon monoxide
poisoning, toxin or medication in the home
Is it NAI or Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy?
“An Elizabethtown woman was arrested at a veterinarian's office after they suspected she
hurt her dog to get its pain medications for herself. … It's a crime that veterinarians said
has opened their eyes to a whole new level of animal abuse. … the third time the dog had
been to the clinic… Things didn't add up as far as the frequency of the dog's injuries, the
cleanliness of the cuts… she had also done the same at a [another] animal clinic… [had]
told vets she needed more painkillers for the dog because her child had flushed them
down the toilet. Pereira doesn't have any children.”
From: wlky.com
Sexual Abuse




Any contact with an animal’s genitalia or anus, or using an animal for sexual contact
and arousal in a person
This term is preferred over bestiality and zoophilia in part because those terms limit
the interaction that is involved. The other reason is because the term “sexual abuse”
puts the focus on the act done to the animal and off of the human.
May or may not cause physical harm to the animal
In children who are sexually abused, it is normal to not find any physical evidence of
9
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
abuse.



A sexual assault kit used for humans (“rape kit”) may also be utilized for animals
An alternative light source may help in detecting semen and saliva (a Wood’s lamp is
not effective; need to differentiate from medications, creams, ointments, etc.)
Common injuries may include a fractured tail, injuries to the ears, as well as injuries
to the genitalia or anus
It is highly important that sexual abuse be thought of early in the exam.



evidence needs to be collected prior to any cleaning
use of a lubricant (for instance, on a thermometer or a glove) may interfere with
evidence
contamination of potential DNA evidence is higher with the more people handling the
animal
Emotional Abuse


Would include taunting, teasing, annoying, bullying, etc.
Currently not a part of most animal abuse laws, including CA
Neglect and Abandonment






Generally implies an act of omission rather than commission (CA Penal Code 597b)
A failure to provide the basics for the animal resulting in needless suffering
The most common form of abuse
Abandonment (CA Penal Code 597s)
Includes animal hoarding and puppy mills
Five Freedoms very helpful in determining neglect
Typical Signs of Neglect
 lack of edible food
 starvation
 lack of potable water
 dehydration
 untreated injuries or disease
 lack of preventative care
 severe grooming issues (e.g. matting, ingrown nails)
 unsanitary environment
 overcrowded housing
 improper housing
10
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
imbedded collars
parasitism
Neglect
Photo: http://nationalcatgroomers.com/persian-rug
Know Your Rescue Groups


More and more, rescue groups are becoming hoarders
Pet-abuse.com (as of 6 Feb 2015) 112 cases of hoarding where the person convicted
is involved with animal welfare

Recent examples (convicted):
 Craig Grant, Caboodle Ranch in FL, 700 cats
 Alan and Sheree Napier, Log Cabin Horse and Animal Sanctuary in FL, 300
animals
 Bill Hutchison, interim director at Manatee Co. Animal Services: “…we have
certainly modified our transfer agreement with all our rescues, including
things such as inspections -- the right to inspect.”
Starvation







Weight alone does not determine who is “too thin”. Need Body Condition Score
(BCS).
 Purina 1-9
 Tufts 1-5
 Life stage is also important
There is not a timeframe for starvation; too many variables.
Bone marrow fat analysis (Michigan State University, Diagnostic Center for
Population and Animal Health: 1-517-353-1683)
Collect representative samples of the food (if any) that is available to the animal
 Remember that it is not just the quantity of food available but also the quality of
that food.
Food must be fresh, palatable, free from contamination and of sufficient nutritional
value to meet the normal daily requirements to allow an animal to attain maximum
development, maintain normal body weight, and rear healthy offspring. (From the
ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters)
This is a diagnosis of exclusion
Starvation ≠ Emaciation
 emaciation is wasting secondary to disease and occurs in the face of adequate
food quality and quantity
 the disease process makes it impossible for the animal to properly digest, absorb,
11
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
or utilize the nutrients being provided
 neoplasia
 severe parasitism
 severe dental disease
 inflammatory bowel disease
 pancreatic insufficency
The animal will utilize body fat in a known sequence
 subcutaneous fat
 intrabdominal and intrathoracic fat
 deep organ fat
 bone marrow fat
Animals who are starved may exhibit pica and cannibalism
 Pica: eating abnormal things, e.g. rocks, dirt, trash
 In cannibalism, typically the extremities are consumed first
 neonates are also commonly consumed, although this can be a normal behavior
Organized Fighting












The so-called “Blood Sports”
Dog fighting
Cock fighting
May include interspecies fights such as dog-hog fights
Often seen in conjunction with other criminal activity such as drugs and guns
Organized fight
Two dogs got in a fight
Wounds to face, chest, and legs
Wounds to back of the neck,
shoulders, and hocks
new wounds and old
new wounds only
characteristic ring lesions
no ring lesions
typically pit-bull types
any breed
do not exhibit submissive behavior
exhibit normal dog behavior
including submissiveness
Babesia gibsoni
DNA swabs for Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System)


through the University of California Davis’s Veterinary Genetics Laboratory 530752-2211
“DNA will be used to identify relationships between dogs and thereby allow
12
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
investigators to expand their investigations to those who breed and train dogs for
fighting.”
Ritualistic Abuse


May include:
 Satanism
 Santeria
 Voodoo
 Witchcraft
Tends to generate a lot of concern in a community but is not common
Red flags for abuse












A specific person is implicated
Repetitive injuries
Previous injury or death in another animal
 only young animals seen
A story that is inconsistent with the injuries seen
A story that changes or a lack of any history
A lack of concern for the animal and/or a delay in seeking care
Known or suspected violence in the home
Fractures in more than one region of the body
Multiple fractures at different stages of healing
Transverse fractures (Tong, 2014)
Skull, femur, and rib fractures (Munro and Thrusfield, 2001)
Radius, ulna, and femur fractures (Tong, 2014)
Animals at higher risk for NAI




Pit bull-type dogs
Male dogs
Intact dogs
Domestic shorthaired cats
Is it accident or abuse?

Hit by Car
 often have frayed nails
13
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.





often have abrasions, “road rash”, shearing injuries
High-rise Syndrome
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Coagulopathies
Predation by dogs or wildlife
Chain of Custody





A written or digital record of who has handled evidence, when, and where it was.
This record stays with the evidence.
Remember: Animals are property and evidence.
If sending evidence out (e.g. lab tests), discuss ahead of time handling and tracking.
ASPCA has numerous forms on their website:
www.aspcapro.org
Working together

To combat animal abuse takes a team
 Law enforcement
 Prosecutors
 Veterinarians
 Other community members (e.g. social workers, elder services, DV task forces,
utility workers, etc.)
Getting Law Enforcement On Board




Broken Window effect
Enforcing Animal Cruelty laws as a tool
 Sometimes animal cruelty is a felony when other charges are not
 Sometimes animal cruelty is admitted readily
 Sometimes animal cruelty is easier to determine
 Example: Alexander Hernandez, in San Fernando Valley area, accused of shooting
spree over several days, including 3 dogs. Held on $1 million bail, in part or in
whole for felony animal cruelty
Before, when ASPCA was 1st responder Now, when NYPD is 1st responder
Call ASPCA
Call 911 if crime in progress (311 if suspect
abuse)
17 humane enforcement agents
35,000 uniformed officers
***Arrests and summons for animal abuse and neglect have doubled in 2014
14
Veterinary Forensics: An Overview
Jennifer Woolf, DVM
Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting, Inc.


Animal Care Conference
March 8-10, 2015
From ASPCA/NYPD experience:
 Misdemeanor interpersonal violence
 Felony animal abuse
By prosecuting animal abuse cases
 Gain respect from the community
 Remove some individuals before they can do the same or worse to people
 Help to enforce all the laws
Getting Veterinarians On Board




Veterinarians are mandatory reporters in some states, but the schools teach little on
the subject and there is no mandatory education on animal abuse after veterinary
school.
Afraid for their businesses
 May not be founded
 Might help if law enforcement had their own veterinarians to investigate abuse
Frustrated with reports going no where
Misunderstand role in abuse cases
 Abuse is a legal definition, not a medical one
Getting Other Professionals On Board



Cross-report
 those who investigate child abuse or elder abuse should also report suspicions of
animal abuse
 not currently required but “allowed” (CA Penal Code11199)
Ask questions about the animals
 people may talk about the animals when they won’t talk about anything else
Those working at DV shelters can judge the level of emergency based on the history
of the abuser’s treatment of the animals
Resources - books
Resources - online
Thank you!
A huge thank you to Rachel Touroo, DVM, ASPCA, and the UF Veterinary Forensics
program
Any questions?
15